Portrait Photography for Sale
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Lucia at fourteen in her grandma´s bedroom
Cristina Fontsare
Photography - 33 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$682
Kouros .04, Back Pink
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 50.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 20 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Satyr, Drawing Restraint 7, Matthew Barney studio, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
There are no coincidences II
Mary Rozzi
Photography - 50 x 40 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 inch
$1,364
There are no coincidences I
Mary Rozzi
Photography - 50 x 40 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 inch
$1,364
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Gellert Bath House, Budapest
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Tantalus (Diptych)
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Serie "Anna. Moscow" 2001
Stanley Greene
Photography - 10.8 x 8.9 x 1 cm Photography - 4.3 x 3.5 x 0.4 inch
$568
Serie "Anna. Moscow"
Stanley Greene
Photography - 10.8 x 8.9 x 1 cm Photography - 4.3 x 3.5 x 0.4 inch
$568
Interpretation: Rubens (1)
Edin Mustafic
Photography - 75 x 50 x 2 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,194
Interpretation: Rubens
Edin Mustafic
Photography - 75 x 50 x 2 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,194
Marie de Magdala
Patrick Strajnic
Photography - 100 x 100 x 5 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch
$1,466
Rayas Three
Ricky Cohete
Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$6,500
Series: The skin of Mars - Skin 9
Antonio Briceño
Photography - 45 x 60 cm Photography - 17.7 x 23.6 inch
$2,842
Series: The skin of Mars - Skin 17
Antonio Briceño
Photography - 80 x 60 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 inch
$3,979
End of the Market III (medium)
Jesus Torio
Photography - 84.1 x 57.1 x 0.2 cm Photography - 33.1 x 22.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,478
According to Francis Bacon
Jean-Claude Byandb
Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$557
Papillon nocturne
Katia Chausheva
Photography - 48 x 33 x 0.3 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.1 inch
$909
Divadlo na Prádle
Lukas Dvorak
Photography - 61 x 81.3 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 32 x 0.1 inch
$1,800
Red Illusion
Franck Rozet
Photography - 100 x 100 x 0.6 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch
$2,899
ConCoscienza, Selfportrait
Chiara Mazzocchi
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch
$563
Kouros Triptych 01
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$12,000
In Spite of dreams (Diptychs), Portfolio of 6 photographs
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 152.4 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 60 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$15,000
Bleu d'ébène
Laurent Castellani
Photography - 100 x 70 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$14,210
Arara IV - Guacamaya. Cultura Kayapó, Brasil
Antonio Briceño
Photography - 120 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0 inch
$7,730
Tono - Hombre de bosque. Cultura Kayapó, Brasil
Antonio Briceño
Photography - 120 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0 inch
$7,730
That flies in the night
Brian Ziff
Photography - 76.2 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Photography - 30 x 20 x 1 inch
$2,500
Lorenzo Triptych
Celso Castro
Photography - 68.6 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 27 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Figure Collection : Light version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 150.1 x 110 x 1 cm Photography - 59.1 x 43.3 x 0.4 inch
$2,615
Figure Collection : Light version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 150.1 x 110 x 1 cm Photography - 59.1 x 43.3 x 0.4 inch
$2,615
Figure Collection : Light version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 150.1 x 110 x 1 cm Photography - 59.1 x 43.3 x 0.4 inch
$2,615
Figure Collection : Light Version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 100.1 x 150.1 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,615
Figure Collection : Dark version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 80 x 100.1 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,444
Figure Collection : Dark version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 100.1 x 59.9 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$2,444
Figure Collection : Dark Version
Leni Smoragdova
Photography - 100.1 x 100.1 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,444
Silhouette Yas IV
Deana Nastic
Photography - 101 x 76 x 1 cm Photography - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0.4 inch
$6,025
Gárgara detail III
Léa Bon
Photography - 9.9 x 15 x 0.3 cm Photography - 3.9 x 5.9 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Towards the land of joy
Guido Argentini
Photography - 100 x 100 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 inch
$10,231
Fauna #5
Zoltan Gerliczki
Photography - 121.9 x 99.1 x 0.3 cm Photography - 48 x 39 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Fauna #6
Zoltan Gerliczki
Photography - 121.9 x 99.1 x 0.3 cm Photography - 48 x 39 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Fauna #4
Zoltan Gerliczki
Photography - 121.9 x 99.1 x 0.3 cm Photography - 48 x 39 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Fauna #3
Zoltan Gerliczki
Photography - 121.9 x 99.1 x 0.3 cm Photography - 48 x 39 x 0.1 inch
$3,000
Half Angels Half Demons #45
Mauricio Velez
Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch
$3,500
Face à Face
Luc Masson-Todeschini
Photography - 51.3 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.2 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$341
Femme à lunette
Luc Masson-Todeschini
Photography - 27.6 x 20 x 0.1 cm Photography - 10.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$341
Paulina #2
Andreas Sundgren
Photography - 120 x 160 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 63 x 0 inch
$3,471
Chanson d'amour VI
Akif Hakan
Photography - 150 x 100 x 3 cm Photography - 59.1 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$9,094
Modernismo M102
Giuliano Bekor
Photography - 130 x 120 x 10 cm Photography - 51.2 x 47.2 x 3.9 inch
$17,052
Red Head robe noire
Cécile Plaisance
Photography - 120 x 90 x 2 cm Photography - 47.2 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
$10,913
Don't Tell Mamma #17
Koray Erkaya
Photography - 119.4 x 81.3 x 0.3 cm Photography - 47 x 32 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Self Touches #05
Koray Erkaya
Photography - 119.4 x 81.3 x 0.3 cm Photography - 47 x 32 x 0.1 inch
$4,900
Self Touches #40
Koray Erkaya
Photography - 119.4 x 81.3 x 2.5 cm Photography - 47 x 32 x 1 inch
$4,900
Rod Stewart – Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, 1976
David Steen
Photography - 97 x 137 x 0.01 cm Photography - 38.2 x 53.9 x 0 inch
$4,206
Butterfly B29
Giuliano Bekor
Photography - 101.6 x 101.6 x 2.5 cm Photography - 40 x 40 x 1 inch
$20,500
Chess and a Chase #1
Rani Bruchstein
Photography - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$4,951
A whirlwind of emotions #2
Rani Bruchstein
Photography - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$4,951
Nike, Louvre, Selfportrait.
Chiara Mazzocchi
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch
$563
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Portrait Photography for Sale
In the 1830s, Nièpce discovered the process for setting images onto pewter plates. In 1833, upon Nièpce's death, Louis Daguerre and François Arago continued his experiments and invented the daguerreotype, a process which created a printed image on a silver plate that had been exposed to light. Photography was born.
Similarly to how portrait painting had dominated artistic output in previous centuries, portrait photography was to become the pillar of the Second French Empire's photographic industry. Lenses with a shorter focal length, which enabled reduced exposure times, gradually appear on the market. The required equipment was expensive and difficult to handle. Some photographers, called daguerreotypists, decided to open their own photography studios to make a profit from their endeavours. The daguerreotype process was temperamental, and photographers had to take their pictures with great precision and attention to detail. They welcomed many people into their studios and customers choose how they wished to be photographed from catalogue of poses. Originally only accessible to the bourgeoisie, lower prices resulting from the growing number of studios eventually attracted a wider customer base. This phenomenon infuriated the poet Charles Baudelaire who was frustrated by the sense of narcissism sparked by the daguerreotypists.
Despite his protests, the egotistical trend only grew with the emergence of 'carte de visite' portraits (small photographs, the size of today's business cards). These were the brainchild of Adolphe Eugène Disdéri came up with the idea of producing portraits akin to visiting cards in 1859. He printed eight portraits in a variety of poses onto a single plate and once developed they could be cut up into eight distinct “visiting cards". Very popular with the bourgeoisie, they highlighted the sitters' social status. 'Carte de visite' portraits featuring celebrities were also sold to customers, who could subsequently add them to their albums.
The photographer Nadar was one of the first to demonstrate a conscious artistic approach to producing these portraits. He emphasised facial expressions and ensured the sitter was comfortable and at ease before taking the photograph. He photographed the era's greatest thinkers and artists, including Honoré de Balzac, George Sand, and Victor Hugo. He even managed to reconcile Baudelaire with portraiture.
At the end of the 19th century, the art of photography started to enter the mainstream, with the arrival of the Kodak company. The use of the camera, and the taking of portraits, became everyday occurrences. A century later, it was the invention of the digital camera which challenged the status quo. Whereas before alterations could only be made to photographs when they were being taken or developed, with the digital camera editing became easier, quicker and more convenient. Digital photography has given photographers much more freedom when it comes to editing and new methods and techniques are constantly being explored.
Some of the photographers who have left their mark on the last century include: Cindy Sherman, who excelled in self-portraits, Annie Leibovitz, who captured celebrities, the wacky duo, Pierre and Gilles, as well as Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton and Bettina Rheims.
So, do portraits help us to learn more about each other, to remember, to invent, to act, or to reconnect with ourselves? Find out on Artsper, by exploring the works of Formento & Formento, Naomi Vona, Ahmed Bennani, Chou Ching Hui, Samuel Cueto, Brno del Zou, Ren Hang, Markus + Indrani, Jerome Liebling as well as Annina Roescheisen.
A portrait photograph can be a photograph of a person's head and shoulders, but it can also be of an animal or of a different section of the subject's body such as their feet. Portrait photographs in art often tell or hint something about its subject to the viewer, such as an aspect of their personality, but still contain an element of mystery.
The three major types of portrait photography are posed portraits, candid or anonymous portraits, and conceptual portraits. The last type, conceptual or creative portraits, can be experimental and abstract, and may not represent an image close to a traditional portrait.
The six main types of portrait photography are fine art portraits, traditional portraits (for example posed portraits taken at school), lifestyle portraits, group portraits, street portraits and glamour portraits.